1,724 drug-poisoning deaths in B.C.
It is with heavy hearts that we acknowledge the extraordinary loss of life to the illicit toxic drug supply.
A record 1,724 people in B.C. died in 2020 from drug poisoning, 263 of these in the Island Health region.
Men are dying at an alarming rate, accounting for 86 per cent of illicit drug toxicity deaths in 2020. Drug poisoning deaths are surging during the pandemic, and First Nations people are disproportionately affected, experiencing deaths 5.6 times the rate of other B.C. residents.
The people we lost were sons, daughters, parents, and friends. We remember those who have died as a result of the toxic drug supply and acknowledge the grief felt by their families and friends. We recognize the courage of family members, loved ones, care providers and others who continue to support people who use substances.
Despite significant advances and ground-breaking efforts by so many, there is still more work to be done to address the illicit drug poisoning crisis.
Addiction is a chronic, relapsing condition often rooted from childhood trauma. Negative and inaccurate views about people who use substances can lead people to stay silent and avoid seeking care.
Policy makers, health-care leaders, community organizations, local governments, and advocates must continue to ask difficult questions and make vital decisions to reduce drug poisoning deaths in communities across the Island Health region.
We ask you, as members of your community, as local leaders, as neighbours, as family and friends, to create space for respectful dialogue around substance use.
People from all walks of life use drugs for many different reasons. We all need connection, compassion and dignity.
If you or someone you know needs support for their substance use, there is help. Starting a conversation could save a life. Resources are available at stopoverdose.gov.bc.ca.
Dr. Richard Stanwick,
Vice president of Population Health, chief medical health officer for Island Health
Island Health’s medical health officers: Drs. Sandra Allison, Michael Benusic, Charmaine Enns, Murray Fyfe, Paul Hasselback (retired), Dee Hoyano, and Shannon Waters.
Our Legions deserve government aid
The government has announced a funding pool to help the 14,000 restaurants, bars, breweries, wineries, gyms, etc., and for the second time this year, the government has excluded the B.C. branches of the Royal Canadian Legion.
These lifelines, including the small and medium sized business recovery grant, that were intended to help the hospitality industry and small business through these tough times have eliminated the legions from receiving any assistance, based on the fact that they are classed as non-profits.
The legions operate lounges that compete on a daily basis with other pubs, bars, and restaurants; they have a liquor primary licence; they pay sales taxes; they employ staff; in most cases they pay property taxes; they contribute their profits back to their communities, seniors and veterans, and in some communities are the only provider of bursaries for the high school students.
The legions in B.C. have been suffering the same as their fellow pubs, bars and restaurants and deserve the same level of support from the government.
Tony Rushworth
Sooke
Premier should bring out those bricks
A few weeks ago Premier John Horgan promised that he would come down on COVID-19 restriction violators like “a ton of bricks.”
So, what have you done other than pass out warnings and impose increased fine amounts, which nobody pays anyway according to the latest reports?
Meanwhile people continue to ignore the increased restrictions, as the variant cases increase exponentially, hospitals and intensive care units fill up and more people die.
Recently Whistler had explosive virus growth including the more contagious and deadly P.1 variant, until the town was closed. Then the service employees laid off because of the shut down, travel, despite the restrictions, to Tofino to work and spread the virus.
Words are cheap. Horgan should show B.C. residents that his words have meaning and that he will do what he said he would to contain this virus and save lives.
David McFarlane
Nanaimo
Forget big cruise ships, bring in smaller ones
Re: “It’s time to discuss a roadmap to reopen our borders,” commentary, April 10.
Ian Robertson points out that the cruise ship industry’s continued presence in Victoria is endangered due to a bill proposed by the Alaska Congressional delegation for a temporary exemption from the United States’ Passenger Services Act. Cruise ships then could bypass Canada and sail directly to and from Alaska.
Cruise ships not calling in Victoria will mean cleaner air quality. The behemoths that are really floating resorts belch toxic exhaust over our fair city causing many folks downwind to experience health problems when they breathe exhaust fumes laden with sulphur dioxide which is corrosive to the respiratory tract.
Because there is no shore power with which these giant vessels can connect, their engines run 24/7. Shore power would eliminate this problem, but still the vast numbers of tourists who supposedly leave the ships don’t necessarily do that since there is constant entertainment on board as well as food and drink always available.
This could be a time for the GVHA — as well as other stakeholders — to rethink what can attract tourists on a smaller but higher quality scale. Banning large cruise ships in favour of smaller vessels is something to consider.
Passengers on smaller ships could enjoy the amenities downtown Victoria offers and as well as take land tours to attractions not in the city core such as the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Government House, Abkhazi Gardens, Butchart Gardens and connecting with First Nation tourism in our region.
There is a market for travellers who prefer experiences that educate as well as provide enjoyment.
Donna de Haan
Esquimalt
Premier W.A.C. Bennett and the building of B.C.
It was so nice to see the photograph of W.A.C. Bennett and remember W.A.C. and his son Bill as the only two premiers who actually built B.C. for all of us, and not having the middle class pay for all kinds of projects which just taxed us to death with no thought of the damage done to the tax base.
Those were the golden years.
Dennis Bourne
Victoria
Do we care about where we’ve been?
A few days ago I picked up a couple of books from the local Vancouver Island Regional Library branch: one on the Neanderthal people, the other on the history of Canada. For the first I had to wait months; for the second, a day.
In noting the recent mania for despoiling statues of prominent historical figures and renaming of buildings formerly dedicated to their honour, I wondered if there is a connection between the apparent desire to know of the doings of people 400,000 years ago elsewhere, and the evident absence of interest in what happened 400 or so years ago here.
Do those avid to cancel our history know much of where we’ve been or come from? Or care?
Tony Parr
Duncan
Increase music education budget, do not cut it
I was shocked, dismayed, and quite frankly, disgusted to learn about the proposed $1.5 million budget cuts to music programs in the Greater Victoria school district.
I could write an essay explaining to why music education is a crucial and pivotal part of every child’s educational process, and how it impacts their social-emotional development, academic skills (especially in language and math), cultural awareness and appreciation, work ethic and discipline, teamwork and collaboration…
…but it’s 2021 and board members already know this.
One of the budget balancing strategies is listed as “No sacred cows.” If that is the case, then why are there no proposed cuts to athletic programs? Does the district not consider them expendable like the fine arts?
There should not be any cuts to music education programs. If anything, those budgets should be increased.
Chris Poynter
Music teacher
Sangster Elementary School
Sooke School District
Do not log old growth, reap financial rewards
Here is a ridiculous, yet logical economic argument: Give a straight $250,000 to every logger, driver, mill-worker, etc, who would conceivably have been involved in the action and aftermath of old-growth logging in Fairy Glen – take the money, take a pass, and the B.C. economy still comes out hugely ahead.
Every recipient can still be engaged in the harvesting of second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth growth for generations to come. Destroy old-growth and it cannot be restored for 2,000 or more years. Leave it and you have a mainstay of the economy for the next millennia (should we still be around).
If there remain mills in this province that can only handle old-growth logs – then here is $100,000 a year for each mill-worker for the rest of their working lives. Just do good things in your community instead. Again, the province comes out way ahead. Stop old-growth logging – it makes no economic sense whatsoever.
Clive Jones
Victoria
Cheaper charging would help downtown
Recently I took my eCar downtown. I parked in a spot for electric cars on Broad Street and thought I’ll do some shopping while my car was charging.
The sign said $1 per hour for charging. I came back an hour later to find I had been billed $4.
For this I received five kilowatt hours. At home that costs maybe 75 cents. I don’t care about the $4 but shouldn’t the city encourage people to come downtown? It’s pretty grim now with closed stores everywhere.
Felix Ernst
Victoria
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